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Fate's shoulders rose and then fell as she took a deep breath. "Ruby, Axel, and Xavier," she said, glancing over her shoulder. "You know of them, yes? They're the werewolves who successfully killed the last vampire royal on Earth. Only Ruby wasn’t meant to be mated to both of them.”
I'd been on my knees the whole time, but my body moved on its own and I stood up. This conversation was taking another unexpected turn. What did the fact that Fate couldn’t see my future have to do with my friends?
“What are you talking about?” Rumir asked. “Are you saying my mother gave Ruby two mates without your consent?”
“Yes,” Fate answered, finally turning to face us. “Ruby's true mate was Xavier, but the Werewolf Goddess changed that so Ruby would be mated to Axel as well. I never approved of it, nor do I understand the reasoning behind it.”
“Okay…” Rumir pressed a finger to the creased skin between his brows. “You know, maybe that’s something you should speak to my mother about when she wakes up. But can we get back to what’s happening to Natalie?”
“Wait!” Lucian finally spoke. “What the Werewolf Goddess did… Does that have something to do with Rumir and I being mated to Natalie? Because we were concerned that this might be something that could continue happening—wolves having multiple mates from other species."
Fate smiled. "Lucian, so perceptive and yet so tortured. So blinded by her hatred, the Goddess made you and left you to rampage. How many did you kill before you got control of your powers? I can see that you still struggle.”
My jaws clenched while Lucian’s fists curled. The hairs on my arms stood on end. What the hell? Why did Fate's demeanor suddenly feel hostile? The tightening in my chest grew worse, and my wolf growled in my head.
I closed my eyes for a second. Why was she suddenly saying such cruel things?
“Rumir…” Fate turned into her older self. “You’re a blend of a goddess and a dragon king. How lucky you are, yet so broken and starved for love. You two are the Goddess's prize creations, her son and her first white wolf. What better way to teach her a lesson than through you?"
My eyes widened, and I turned to Rumir and Lucian. They stared at me, both looking petrified.
"Our mate bond was created by you, without the Goddess's consent," I said through barely parted lips.
But Fate only chuckled.
“Why?” I asked, not looking away from Rumir and Lucian. “Why would you do this?”
"Your goddess thinks she can do whatever she pleases. When she tampered with the lives of Ruby, Xavier, and Axel, she affected the lives of countless others that I had to then fix." Fate walked past me. "You all have no idea how detrimental unraveling one string can be. And your mother, Rumir, did so with no regard to how it would affect others."
"This isn't a punishment for you three, not exactly. I'd say you're lucky to have each other. But a werewolf being mated to a dragon? How tainted will the Goddess’s precious werewolf bloodlines become?”
A chill went down my spine when Rumir’s eyes widened and his face fell. When he took a step back, I placed a hand over my heart, willing him to feel my love through the touch. Pain was etched all over his face.
No, this couldn’t be. My wolf whimpered. What had this woman done?
Rumir was already battling so much. Why would she throw this at him, too?
He shook his head slowly, and our mate bond snapped to life, drawing me to him. But I could feel him pulling away. “No,” he said through clenched teeth. “That isn’t true.”
“Yes, it is.” Fate grinned. “You’re not Natalie’s true mate. Lucian is.”
* * *
Natalie
Lucian looked at Rumir and then at me. No one spoke for a time until Rumir turned away, his head down as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
I wanted to strangle Fate. The urge to do just that was growing by the second.
“How could you do this?” I growled. "Your issues with the Werewolf Goddess have nothing to do with her son, Lucian, or me!"
I no longer cared about being mindful of my words or controlling my anger—not when Fate was hurting Rumir so purposefully. Was everything she said about my lifeline true? Or was she just playing mind games that would lead to this?
“The Werewolf Goddess did what she felt was right, and I did the same.” Fate spoke slowly, as if I were a child who wouldn’t understand her words. “Rumir wasn’t to be mated to you, or anyone else for that matter. Even if it’s the only thing he’s always wanted.”
She then pointed at Rumir, whose back was still turned. “I did you a favor, though I doubt your mother will see it that way. But I’m okay with that. It’ll teach her to mind her own business because while she's an Executive, I’m the goddess Fate! All gods must consult me first!”
“What you are is petty! What the Goddess did helped save the world!” I yelled. “Maybe she was wrong to go behind your back, but she did what she had to do. None of you other gods were doing jack shit to protect the Earth from the vampire race!”
